Looking for some info regarding departing out of San Diego port

[meg8182000]

Hello -

I'm so excited as my cruise from San Diego up to Vancouver departs in less than a month.

This will be my 8th cruise with Disney but my first out of San Diego port. I'm looking for just a little bit of information.

We'll be flying in from the east coast the day prior and currently have a reservation at the Marriott Marquis but was wondering if anyone had any better hotel suggestions?

Are there any hotels that do what the MCO Hyatt does in Orlando where they pick up your luggage at the hotel and then you don't see it again until you are on the cruise?

If not, any helpful information regarding the protocols for getting to the port, porters and luggage and checking in at the port would be most helpful.

Thanks so much.

meg

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello -

I'm so excited as my cruise from San Diego up to Vancouver departs in less than a month.

This will be my 8th cruise with Disney but my first out of San Diego port. I'm looking for just a little bit of information.

We'll be flying in from the east coast the day prior and currently have a reservation at the Marriott Marquis but was wondering if anyone had any better hotel suggestions?

Are there any hotels that do what the MCO Hyatt does in Orlando where they pick up your luggage at the hotel and then you don't see it again until you are on the cruise?

If not, any helpful information regarding the protocols for getting to the port, porters and luggage and checking in at the port would be most helpful.

Thanks so much.

meg

I don't think any of the hotels in San Diego have a plan like the MCO Hyatt does.

If I were staying in San Diego prior to a cruise, I'd probably try staying at the Wyndam. It's directly across the street from the pier and you can walk over there from the hotel. But, really any hotel in San Diego isn't all that far. Some have shuttles to the port, I think.

When we departed out of San Diego, they did check our booklet we got at the entrance to the port area as well as once inside the terminal. Along with a photo ID.

You drop off your checked bags before entering the terminal.

 

[jetskigrl]

We have stayed at the Wyndham San Diego Bayside two times (before cruises) and love the location. On our last stay we had a ocean view room that looked across at the terminal. The Wonder pulled in directly in front of our room (we could see the officers on the bridge)

It is just a quick walk across the street (there is a crosswalk with light) to get to the terminal.

 

[longboard55]

Marriott Marquis is the best hotel downtown in my opinion. Good pool. But there are several other good ones, San Diego is a great city. You could walk to the terminal along the boardwalk or it would be about a $10 cab ride. I would avoid the pedicabs, they tend to rip you off Check out Kansas City Barbecue across the street, it is where they filmed the bar scenes from top gun.

 

[JMHDisney]

We sailed out of this port in 2014. Checking luggage was very easy. Tons of porters right when we pulled in (I had a family member drop us off). Check in was also quick. There was a really long line once past checkin waiting to go through security (basically just standing on a ramp for 30+ mins) but once we were through that it was a quick pic with Mickey and almost straight onto the boat.

 

[Amunet]

We are departing here for our EBPC cruise this fall. I've never been out of San Diego for a cruise but the hotel we are booking is Holiday inn Express Downtown. They have complimentary transportation (to/from airport, cruise & zoo), breakfast and happy hour.
For our dates, it's cheaper than the wyndam and includes the above in price.

The best thing to think about is how important it is to be right across the street for no traffic hassle to the port? If that is paramount, go with Wyndam, if not, then browse around for what IS most important to your family
For us, it is free transportation & food.

 

[meg8182000]

Thank you everyone for your insights! Very helpful!

Can anyone tell me what time is the best time to show up at the port? We received our paperwork for the cruise and it says they start letting people on the ship at 1pm. Is this a real time? We've always been let on the ship out of Florida around 11:30am or close to that.

Thanks again.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you everyone for your insights! Very helpful!

Can anyone tell me what time is the best time to show up at the port? We received our paperwork for the cruise and it says they start letting people on the ship at 1pm. Is this a real time? We've always been let on the ship out of Florida around 11:30am or close to that.

Thanks again.

When you do (did) your online check in you select a Port Arrival Time. DCL uses them to keep the crowds from all showing up at the same time. Generally, the terminal opens around 10:30ish. And actual boarding begins around 11:30 with Concierge and Platinum Castaway Club members. Then they start calling boarding numbers. Your boarding number (which you get at check in at the terminal) is tied to the PAT you selected, and you'll get the same number, regardless of when you actually arrive/check in.

For the most part, once the boarding number being issued at check in catches up with the number being announced for boarding, Open Boarding is called. This means anyone, holding any boarding number, may board. This typically happens around 12:30-12:45.

It's the same process as is used in Port Canaveral.

 

[meg8182000]

Thank you PrincessShmoo. We are actually concierge on this cruise so we were not given an exact boarding time so I just wasn't sure if it was the same as Port Canaveral or not.

 

[JMHDisney]

We were on before 1pm out of San Diego. We had an 11am PAT and we were on board by sometime between 12-12:30. They definitely started boarding before 1pm.